Shri Krishna teaches in the Gita, Karma Yoga for the
desirous.What kind of Karma is it? We want to know how those who are
desirous can perform work without attachment. Of course their actions
are prompted by desires, but that does not by itself make their actions
tainted. If those actions are prohibited by the scriptures, if they are
sinful, then alone they are blameworthy. Those whose minds are attached
to enjoyment, cannot but perform actions prompted by desires, for the
satisfaction of those desires. If they are asked to perform work without
any motive, they cannot understand that teaching at all. That is why
the scriptures has prescribed for them actions with desires. The Gita
does not teach merely work without attachment, but also work for the
fulfillment of desires. "Prajapati having in the beginning created
mankind together with Yajna, said, 'By this shall ye miltiply; this
shall be the milk cow of your desire'"(Gita 3. 10). Scriptures hold out
different ideals to different people according to their capacity. Each
selects, according to his own fitness, one from out of these
teachings,adhers to it with Shraddha, attain prosperity. That is why the
Lord says, "Devoted each to his own duty, man attains the highest
perfection"(Gita 18. 45). One has to perform the duty for which one is
fit and thus increase Sattva in him - that is the teachings of the
scriptures. He who has strong desires must be given some scope for
enjoyment. You cannot by mere instruction forcibly turn his mind away
from enjoyment. But then there should be enjoyment with discrimination,
for there can never be satisfaction of desires by enjoyment. It goes on
ever increasing like fire into which ghee is poured. That is why
enjoyment should be regulated by discrimination. Then only will there be
any chance one's realising the situation as the case with the King
Yayati. Work without attachment should be the aim, by goal, but it
cannot be realised by mere talk. In fact, there can be nothing like work
without attachment, for without illumination one cannot be truly free
from attachment. Work without attachment before realisation is work done
for realising the Lord. Work done for realizing the God is "no work".
The desire for devotion is no desire, i.e. no cause of bondage. Thus if work is done for His sake, it is said to be done without attachment. Otherwise, strictly speaking, the Jnanis(enlightened ones) alone can perform work without attachment. For due to knowledge all their desires are burnt down. Except the Jnanis none else has the power to do work without attachment. But then work done with the desire of attaining knowledge, can still be called work without attachment. It is difficult to understand the true nature of work. That is why the Lord says, "The nature of work is impenetrable" (Gita 4. 17); "Even sages are bewildered as to what are action and inaction" (Ibid.4. 16).
Shri Ramakrishna also says, "Mother, take this your action and inaction, and give me pure devotion. Take this your sin and virtue and give me pure devotion". Such an easy path for realizing God, suitable to every one, no one has taught till now. Just as a cow takes all kinds of food when it is mixed up with a little oilcake, so also the Lord accepts all worship when it is tinged with devotion. " Somehow or other if we can but offer everything to Him, if we can but think that He is our dearest, our beloved, if we can but do everything, think every thought, for His sake, then we are blessed." Like Shri Ramakrishna, the lord Shri Krishna, the preacher of the Gita, also again and again reiterates in his teachings : "Whatever thoudoest , whatever thou eatest, whatever thou offerest in sacrifice, whatever thou givest away, whatever austerity thou practisest, O son of Kunti, do that as an offering unto Me. Thus shalt thou be freed from the bondages of actions, bearing good and evil results. With the heart steadfast in the Yoga of renunciation, and liberated, thou shalt come unto Me" (Gita 9. 27-28). That we are not able to put into practice such an easy teaching as this undoubtedly a matter of great regret. He whose mind is attached to sense-objects, will, by performing actions prescribed by the scriptures and by the performance of his duty, gradually have his mind purified and finally attain desirelessness. That is why even the performance of action with desires is called Karma-Yoga. That is also the reason why the injunctions of the scriptures are held in such high esteem. "He who, setting aside the ordinances of the Shastras, acts under the impulse of desires, attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the goal Supreme." These are the words of the Lord. If we can only offer everything to Him, then we need not be any more anxious nor have fear nor ransack the scriptures so much.
No doubt this is not easily attained; yet we need not lose heart, for the Lord says, "Gradually, gaining perfection through many births, he reaches then the highest goal" (Gita 6. 45). If it be not attained in this life, it will be attained in the next life; but we should see that the ideal is not lost sight of. We must go on practicing, and we are sure to reach the goal one day. We have to become His completely. We have to surrender ourselves to Him, completely giving up all our ego and pride, without in the least depending on ourselves or anybody else. This is the essence of the teachings of the Gita. He is very kind; and if we can only depend on Him, He gets everything done for us. He has so promised in the Gita, "My devotee never comes to any grief" (Gita 9. 31); "The doer of good never comes to any grief" (Ibid. 6. 40). This is another fundamental teaching of the Gita.
Man is only an instrument, the Lord alone is the agent. Blessed is he whom the Lord makes His instrument and gets His things done by him. Every one has to do work in this world. No one can escape from it. But if anyone works for the fulfillment of his selfish end, his work instead of working out his liberation, brings him down. The intelligent, doing work for Him, escape from the binding effect of work. "He is the doer and not I" --this realization breaks all bondages. This in fact is the truth. The idea, "I am the doer", is only an illusion; for it is difficult to find out this "I". If we investigate into this "I", we shall find that the real "I" merges in Him. The ego-consciousness with respect to the body, mind and intellect is a delusion due to mere ignorance. They do not subsist to the last. None of these stands the test of discriminative investigation. Finally everything vanishes, and That alone is left from which everything proceeds, in which everything subsists, and to which everything returns at the end. That is Brahman- the Sachchidananda (Existence-Knowledge-Bliss), the witness of this ego-consciousness, the creator, protector, and destroyer, and at the same time the infinite, unattached, and indifferent. Resting in Him this world-machine is driven by His power. The sportive Lord looks at His own play and enjoys. To whomsoever He reveals this, he alone understands. The rest even seeing do not understands-- thinking themselves separate from Him, they get deluded. This is His Maya. This Maya vanishes if one works for the Lord surrendering oneself to Him.
Swami Turiyananda
A monk from Ramakrishna monastic.The desire for devotion is no desire, i.e. no cause of bondage. Thus if work is done for His sake, it is said to be done without attachment. Otherwise, strictly speaking, the Jnanis(enlightened ones) alone can perform work without attachment. For due to knowledge all their desires are burnt down. Except the Jnanis none else has the power to do work without attachment. But then work done with the desire of attaining knowledge, can still be called work without attachment. It is difficult to understand the true nature of work. That is why the Lord says, "The nature of work is impenetrable" (Gita 4. 17); "Even sages are bewildered as to what are action and inaction" (Ibid.4. 16).
Shri Ramakrishna also says, "Mother, take this your action and inaction, and give me pure devotion. Take this your sin and virtue and give me pure devotion". Such an easy path for realizing God, suitable to every one, no one has taught till now. Just as a cow takes all kinds of food when it is mixed up with a little oilcake, so also the Lord accepts all worship when it is tinged with devotion. " Somehow or other if we can but offer everything to Him, if we can but think that He is our dearest, our beloved, if we can but do everything, think every thought, for His sake, then we are blessed." Like Shri Ramakrishna, the lord Shri Krishna, the preacher of the Gita, also again and again reiterates in his teachings : "Whatever thoudoest , whatever thou eatest, whatever thou offerest in sacrifice, whatever thou givest away, whatever austerity thou practisest, O son of Kunti, do that as an offering unto Me. Thus shalt thou be freed from the bondages of actions, bearing good and evil results. With the heart steadfast in the Yoga of renunciation, and liberated, thou shalt come unto Me" (Gita 9. 27-28). That we are not able to put into practice such an easy teaching as this undoubtedly a matter of great regret. He whose mind is attached to sense-objects, will, by performing actions prescribed by the scriptures and by the performance of his duty, gradually have his mind purified and finally attain desirelessness. That is why even the performance of action with desires is called Karma-Yoga. That is also the reason why the injunctions of the scriptures are held in such high esteem. "He who, setting aside the ordinances of the Shastras, acts under the impulse of desires, attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the goal Supreme." These are the words of the Lord. If we can only offer everything to Him, then we need not be any more anxious nor have fear nor ransack the scriptures so much.
No doubt this is not easily attained; yet we need not lose heart, for the Lord says, "Gradually, gaining perfection through many births, he reaches then the highest goal" (Gita 6. 45). If it be not attained in this life, it will be attained in the next life; but we should see that the ideal is not lost sight of. We must go on practicing, and we are sure to reach the goal one day. We have to become His completely. We have to surrender ourselves to Him, completely giving up all our ego and pride, without in the least depending on ourselves or anybody else. This is the essence of the teachings of the Gita. He is very kind; and if we can only depend on Him, He gets everything done for us. He has so promised in the Gita, "My devotee never comes to any grief" (Gita 9. 31); "The doer of good never comes to any grief" (Ibid. 6. 40). This is another fundamental teaching of the Gita.
Man is only an instrument, the Lord alone is the agent. Blessed is he whom the Lord makes His instrument and gets His things done by him. Every one has to do work in this world. No one can escape from it. But if anyone works for the fulfillment of his selfish end, his work instead of working out his liberation, brings him down. The intelligent, doing work for Him, escape from the binding effect of work. "He is the doer and not I" --this realization breaks all bondages. This in fact is the truth. The idea, "I am the doer", is only an illusion; for it is difficult to find out this "I". If we investigate into this "I", we shall find that the real "I" merges in Him. The ego-consciousness with respect to the body, mind and intellect is a delusion due to mere ignorance. They do not subsist to the last. None of these stands the test of discriminative investigation. Finally everything vanishes, and That alone is left from which everything proceeds, in which everything subsists, and to which everything returns at the end. That is Brahman- the Sachchidananda (Existence-Knowledge-Bliss), the witness of this ego-consciousness, the creator, protector, and destroyer, and at the same time the infinite, unattached, and indifferent. Resting in Him this world-machine is driven by His power. The sportive Lord looks at His own play and enjoys. To whomsoever He reveals this, he alone understands. The rest even seeing do not understands-- thinking themselves separate from Him, they get deluded. This is His Maya. This Maya vanishes if one works for the Lord surrendering oneself to Him.
Collected from a compiled book
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